Method of and apparatus for creating an artificial fever



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METHOD oF AND APPARATUS Fon CREATING AN ARTIFICIAL FEVER Filed April 30, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 .H NQ i m n A I L T5 I W M l INVENTOR m9/ ATTORNEYS Jan. 19, 1937. E. c. sl'r'rLER 2,068,512

' METHOD OF AND APPARTUS` FOR CREATING AN ARTIFICIAL FEVER 4 mea April so, 193e 4 sheets-sheet s J/a /zo Jan. 19, 1937.

E. c. slT'rLER 2,068,612

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR CREATING AN ARTIFICIAL FEVER l Filed April 30, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Z g. e v 252 ,e z 274 wig '23a T 27s -54' 8 z5-4 E E 2 gaz INVENTOR Vfl-WNV 64% [7' 234 232 ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 19, 1937 PliTllN'I'y OFFICE 2,068,612 METHD- F AND APPARATUS FOR CREAT- ING AN y ARTIFICIAL FEVER Edwin C. Sittlel", Dayton,

Ohio, assignor to General Motors Corporation, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Application April 30, 1936, Serial No. 77,250 8 Claims. r(Cl. 4-163) 'Ihis invention relates to methods of and apparatus for creating an articial fever. I

vRecently, apparatus ,has been developed for creating an artificial fever within patients by subjecting them tocirculating air at elevated temperatures and humidity.

It is an object of my invention to simplify such apparatus to make it more compact, lower in cost, easier to manufacture, install, repair and l0 take care of. y

A more specific object of my invention is to provide a'body treating apparatus wherein the air treating, circulating and humidifying means are built in a unit l5 into and removable from the apparatus as a unit for assembly and repair.

It is another object of my invention to provide an improved liquid evaporating means for such an apparatus which is free from scaling and corrosion troubles.

It is another object of my invention to provide an improved means for disposing of perspiration of the patient.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent'from the following description, Vpanying drawings, wherein a preferred form of the present invention is clearly shown. In the drawings: 3,0 Fig. 1 is a verticallongitudinal sectional view through one form of my'improved apparatus;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3--3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 2,;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view taken through the cabinet looking down upon the air circulating and air treating devices;

Fig. 'l is -a sectional view taken 'along the line 1-1 of Fig. 6; and

Fig. 8 is a wiring diagram for the air circulating and air treating means.

Brief description4 Brieiiy, I have disclosed a cabinet having walls formed of a treated fibrous. product having a removable wall at one end which leaves an opening which receives a wheeling couch which is normally positioned within the enclosure. The wheeling couch is provided with a head rest outside the enclosure formed of aslatted structure which is readily insertable reference being had to the accom-v of an upper layer which has a collecting pan and basin beneath it for collecting perspiration from the head. The Wheeling couch is provided with a comfortable air or sponge rubber mattress. The removable wall is provided with a notch for receiving the 5 neck.

Within the enclosure above the wheeling couch is an inclined bafe having' apertures at its upper end and being spaced from the end wall of the enclosure at the lower end which is opposite to 10 the end having the removable wall and the head portion of the wheeling couch. Supported on this baiile is an air circulating and air treating unit which is insertable and removable into position as a unit through an adjacent door. This treat- 15 ing unit ,includes a humidifying device which includes a receptacle kept filled with liquid by a const/ant level liquid supply device. This receptacle normally rests directly beneath a radiant Heater provided with a reector for direct- 20 ing radiant energy onto the surface of the liquid.

The enclosure Referring now more particularly to the drawings, there is shown in Fig. 1 an enclosure or 25 cabinet generally designated by the reference character 20 having a bottom wall 22 formed 24 of moisture proof pressed wood or other suit -ble lmoisture proof molded composition and a bottom layer 26 of a suitable 30 cellular insulating material such as a pressed brous insulating material such as Cellotex, or balsa wood. As is better shown in Fig. 2, the side Walls 28 and the top wall 3|] are formed of a relatively heavy layer 32 of a structural vinsulating 35 material such as compressed ber board or balsa wood provided on either side ywith a thin sheet 34 of an impervious moisture excluding molded composition material such as pressed wood.

The bottom wall 22 is joined to the side walls 40 28 and the rear wall 44 by sheet metal angle members 36,' 38, and 46 respectively, while the top wall 30 is fastened to the side walls by sheet metal angle strips 40 and 42.

l These walls are fastened to the angle strips by 45 screws, such as the screw 92 as shown in Fig. 5, that extend through drilled passages in the metal strips, such as the strip 40, `and the layers 32 and 34 of the side wall 28 vfor example, and thread into a nut 94 provided with barbs S6 forvengaging 5o the inner facefof the wall to prevent the rotation of the nut. In order to prevent the body of the patient from becoming scratched or burned by contact-with one of these nuts, each of the nuts is covered with a rubber boot 98 which substan- 5f tially entirely surrounds both faces of the nut so that' the boot is tightly held in position by having one side clamped between the nut and the side wall. This provides a sturdy construction which facilitates assembly.

The cabinet is supported by sheet metal legs 48 provided with glides 50 at their lower ends which are connectedto the legs by a threaded connection for carefully adjusting the height forv providing the cabinet with a perfectsupport. A lock nut 52 is provided for lo-cking the glides in their properly adjusted position.

The wheelingE couch Within the enclosure, there is provided a wheelin-g couch generally designated by the reference character "54 which couch includes side rails 56 and 58, each provided with a groove on its inner face for receiving the ledges of a supporting board 60 of multi-ply wood. At the inner end nearest the wall 44, each of these rails is provided with a recess which receives a fixed castor 62 provided with a large rubber tired roller which rests upon the bottom wall 22.0f the enclosure. The board 60 normally supports an air or sponge rubber mattress which extends between the side rails from one end of the board 60 to the other, The head end of the board 60 is provided with a cross member 64 which extends between the side rails 56 and 58 and is provided with rubber sealing gaskets 66 at the bottom and side edges thereof for making sealing engagementwith the bottom wall 22 and the side walls 28.

Fastened to the side rails 56 and 58, as well as to the connecting strip 64, are two brackets I 02.

Each of these brackets is provided with a bottom face |04 to which is attached a metal leg |06 provided with a fixed castor |08 at its lower end. These legs |06 are connected by a tie rod and spacer tube 0 for rigidity. ,The brackets 02 also support a very shallow metal pan i I2 which supports a metal grating or grille work |4 upon which a pillow, provided with a rubberized cover, is normally provided for supporting the head of the patient. 'Ihe pan ||2receives the perspiration from the head of the patient and is provided with an outlet ||6 placed directly over a flanged receiving basin ||8 which is held by a hoop |20 welded to the freely movable end of an arm |22 which is pivoted to one of the brackets |02 by the pivot pin |24. The brackets |02 also serve as handles for pulling the wheeling couch 514 from the enclosure. The wheeling couch is locked in place by the spring hood type fasteners |26 which are loosely connected to each of the legs: 40 at the head end of the cabinet and which may be hooked over extensions |28 from the brackets 02 in order to securely hold the wheel couch in the enclosure.

The slidable wall 'I'he top of this cross strip 64 is provided with a rubber sealing Igasket 68 for making sealing engagement with the slidable neck wall 10. This neck receiving walln is providedwith a kerf at its side edges, each of which islined with a sheet metal member 12 as is best shown in Fig. 3. This sheet .metal member extends entirely'across the edge portions and folds down upon the back and front sides of this fslidable neck receiving member to provide a metal bound edge. 'I'he vkerf provided in each of these metal bound edges receives a slide-way 16 formed as a flanged edge of a vertical sheet metal side member 18, one of which is fastened at the front edges of each of hold the slidable wall v face |48 provided with -inFig.5..

y engagement with the door the side walls. This member 10 is supported by spring type sash pulls designated by the reference character recessed in the side walls adjacent the slidable neck receiving Wall 10. The wall or member 10- is provided with stops 1| for `,limiting its normal upward movement. 'Ihis wall 10 is provided with handles 82 and a notch 84 for receiving the neck of the patient. This notch is provided with a kerf which receives a U-shaped rubber strip 86 which extends in the kerf around the edge of the notch so that it may t the neck of the patient with a sulcient tightness to prevent the escape of air from the enclosure. This `rubberis readily removable and is held in place by the kerfpand by large headed pins,90 which` extend through the rubber and through the wall 10.

The front edges of the top wall 30 and the side walls 28 which meet the slidable wall 10 are provided with rubber gaskets |30 and |32 which are in the form of an extruded strip which is key shaped in cross section. In addition, in order to 10 tightly against these gaskets, there are provided brackets |34 fastened to the side walls which are provided with hand screws |36 for clamping the slidable wall 10 tightly against the rubbergaskets. Adjacent one of the clamps is a second bracket |38 which is provided at its outer end with a round supporting disc |40 for supporting an ordinary propeller type fan for directing a blast of air at the head of the patient.

Side doors Nearest the head end of the cabinet, upon opposite sides, there are provded slidingdoors 44 and |46. Each of these doors has an outer metal upper and lower flanges |50 and |52 which are received within metal strips |54 and |56 fastened to the side' walls of the cabinet by a bolt construction like that shown These metal faces of the doors are lined with an inner layer |58 of an insulating board and an inner face |60 of a thin molded sheet material which is impervious to moisture, similar to that used elsewhere throughout the cabinet; 'I'hese doors are each provided with handles |62 on the outer faces and with rubber stops |64 which extend into the openings |66 and |68 in the side walls 28, which openings are covered by the doors |48 and |44 respectively. Each of these openings is lined with a wooden frame |10 which is covered by a molding |12 provided with a recess for receiving a strip of felt |14 extending entirely around the molding for making vsealing to seal the door opening when the door is closed. These doors provide ready access for tending to and viewing the patient diuing the treatmen Rem` door and Ibaje In the upper portion of the rear wall of the cabinet there is provided a door |16 normally positioned within the door opening |18 in the rear wall 44. This door |16 is supported by hinges |80 provided at itslower edges and is held in closed position'by a door latch edge. Within the enclosure on opposite sides of the upper portion of the walls there are provided upper and lower strips |84 and |86 which between them, form a groove for slidably receiving a bai'e member |88 provided with aperturesV |90 at its head end. This baille member is preferably formed of a molded moisture impervious sheet material such as pressed wood. 'Ihe door |18 and the door opening |18 are positioned in alignment |82 Aat its upper t lib with this baille |88 so that vthe bafflemay be, withdrawn from the enclosure through the door opening |18 when the door |16 is open. This baile extends into contact with the top wall 30 at the head end of the cabinet very close tothe slidable wall 10.- It is at this end that the apertures |90 are located. This baiile |88 divides the interior of the enclosure into a body compartment |92 where the wheeling couch supports the patient and an upper compartment |94 which forms an air circulating passage. The bafile |88 terminates short ofthe door so asto allow an air circulating space between it and the door Air treating unit 'I'he lower portion of the bale |88 is provided with a sheet |96 of high temperature insulating material and the adjacent side and top walls are likewise provided with sheets |98 and 202 of high temperature insulating material.' Resting upon the sheet |96 of high temperature insulating material is an air. treating unit 204 which is sufriciently small in size that it may be readily linserted and removed through the door opening I 18. 'I'his air treating unit has a sheet metal base 206 which rests upon the sheet |96 and has a vertical face plate 208 ,extending vertically upwardly from the sheet metal base 206. This face plate 208 is'provided with a ange 2|0 at its upper edge for making sealing ycontact with the top sheet 202 of high temperature insulating material. At the sides, this plate 20.8 makes contact with side plates 2|2 and 2|4 for making sealing engagement with the side ofthe air circulating passage |94. I

Thus,when the air'treating unit is in position, all the-air .must ilow through the aperture 2|6 formed in the center of the plate. Directly behind this aperture 2|6 is an electrically driven propeller type fan 2|8 provided with a vibration absorbing mounting. `This fan draws the air from the body treating compartment |92 through the aperture 2|6 and over the heating and humidifying units behind the face plate 208 and thence forces the air up through the air circulating passage |94 to the apertures |90-, through which it is discharged back into the body treating compartment |92abovev the chest of the patient. This circulation is preferably at a rate of about 425 cubic feet a minute, but this may be varied upwardly or downwardly, as desired.

The vaporizing unit At the right of the motor driven fan 2|8, there is provided a humidifying or`vaporizing unit 220 which includes a metal receptacle 222 which rests upon a sheet 224 of high temperature insulating material supported upon flanges 226 and 228 which extend rearwardly from the face plate 208. Directly above the receptacle is a reflector 230 with a polished inner surface so shaped as to direct radiant energy onto vthe surface of the liquid within the receptacle 222. This reilector may be formed of polished anodized sheet aluminum and may be covered with sheet asbestos.v Beneath this Vreector and above the levelI of the liquid in the receptacle 222 are two electric heaters 232 and 234 which are in the form of round bars which extend from insulated supporting members 236 mounted at opposite ends of the reiiector 230. These ends .of the reector are formed of enlarged plates 238 which are provided with slots 240 which receive supporting pins 242 for detachably supporting the reflector.

` 'Ihe receptacle slips through an opening in the front plate 208 and has a tray front 244 which closes the opening when the` tray or receptacle is in position. The front of the receptacle is provided with a tube 246 which is connected by rubber or other exible tubing 248 to a tubular connection 250 which extends through the high temperature insulating sheet |98 and the side. Wall 28 to the exposed receptacle of a constant level supply means 252 which includes a bracket fastened to the outside` of the cabinet provided with an exposed receptacle for liquid which receives aninverted bottle supported above the bottom of the receptacle. By this simple scheme, a constant level of water is provided for the receptacle 222. i

Upon the opposite side of the fastened a humidistat having its adjusting means accessible from the outer face of the'face plate 208, whereby the humidity may be regulated from to 100% relative humidity. This humidistat controls the operation of a relay 256 mounted upon the base 206 which in turn controls the energization of the electric heaters 232 and 234. At the rear of the base-is provided an electric strip heater 258 which is provided with fins so as to readily heat the air which is circulated by the motor driven fan 2| 8. A thermostat 264 is provided either on the base with an accessible adjustment extending through the' face plate or outside of the cabinet. Preferably the thermostat is placed on the outside of the cabinet with face plate 208 is a thermostatic bulb directly in front of the opened in series with the thermostat 264, but in parallel with the fan 2|8 by the conductors 212, 214 and 216. The humidistat 254 is connected in series with the relay coil of the relay 256 by the conductors 218, 260 and 282. The heaters 232 and 234 are connected in series with separate contacts of the relay 256 by the conductors 284 and 286.

In operation, water is kept at a constant level in the receptacle 222 by the inverted bottle apparatus 252 and the relay 256 is opened and closed by the humidistat 254 which is preferably set under ordinary conditions to energize the relay when the humidity falls 35 or 40%. 'Ihe closing of the humidistat 254 and the energization of the relay 256 closes the circuit through the heaters 232 and 234 which applies radiant energy to the surface of the liquid in the receptacle 222 so as to evaporate the liquid, usually water, in the receptacle in order to supply humidity to the air lwhich is circulated by the fan 2|8.whenever the switch 266 is closed.

This particular vaporizing apparatusA is free from ordinary troubles of otherltypes of electrical evaporating apparatus because the heaters are not immersed in the liquid and therefore are not troubled by corrosion or covered by scale or by any impurities in the liquid. Thus, any lime in the water will merely fall to the bottom of the pan and may be cleaned out by removing the receptacle without disturbing the electrical heaters.

The thermostat 264 is set ordinarily at about high temperature condition of the patient is being developed. After the maximum patient temperature desired is reached, the thermostat may be adjusted to energize and deenergize the heater 258 at lower temperatures in order to maintain the desired elevated temperature of the patient. Normally this setting is about 140 AF. This apparatus is capable of rapidly elevating the patients temperature to the maximum permissible limit with relatively little discomfort and to maintain such an elevated temperature in the body. This apparatus may also beused in conjunction with a Dr. Elliot apparatus for aiding temperature rise and maintenance and also for local high heat production at the same time :fof general fever incidence.

Repairs or attention to this air treating unit 204 may be made .by readily removing the entire unit.

While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed,constitutes a preferred form, it is to' be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming Within the scope of the claims .which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

l. A body treating cabinet including walls forming an enclosure for enclosing and supporting a body, a baille extending laterally across the enclosure dividing said enclosure into a lower body compartment and an upper compartment directly above the body compartment, saidl upper compartment containing an air treating unit, said air treating unit including means for circulating air through the body compartment and the upper compartment and means for changing the temperature and the amount of vapor in the air.

2. A body treating cabinet including walls forming an enclosure for enclosing and supporting a. body, abaille extending'laterally across the enclosure dividing said enclosure into a lower body compartment and an. upper compartment directly above the body compartment, said upper.

, compartment containing an air treating unit, said air treating unit including means foncirculating air through the body compartment andthe upper compartment and means Vfor changing-'the temperature and the amount of vapor in the air, said enclosure being provided with adoor in alignment with the air treating'unit.

3. A body treating cabinet including walls forming' an enclosure for enclosing and supporting a body, a baille extending laterally across the enclosure dividing said enclosure into a lower body compartment and' an upper compartment directly above the body compartment, said upper compartment containing an air treating unit, said air treating unit including means for circulating air through the body compartment and the upper compartment and means for changing the temperature and the amount of vapor in the air,

and means located outside the enclosure for supplying a liquid for vaporizing purposes to said air treating unit.

4. A body treating cabinet including 'Walls forming an enclosure for enclosing and supporting a body, a baille extending laterally across the enclosure dividing said enclosure into a lower body compartment and an upper compartment directly above the'body compartment, said upper compartment containing an air treating unit, said vair treating unit including means for circulating air through the body compartment and the upper lcompartment and means forch-ang-- ing the temperature and the amount ,of vapor in the air, said air treating unit being insertable and removable as a unit.

5. A body treating c-abinet including walls forming an enclosure for enclosing and supporting the body, a baiile in the enclosure for dividing the interior of the enclosure into a body compartment and an air circulating passageway, a unitary air treating and circulating unit connected in air circulating series arrangement with said "passageway, said unit being insertable and removable from the enclosure as a unit.

6. A` body treating cabinet including walls forming an enclosure for enclosing and supporting the body, a baille in the enclosure for dividing the interior of the enclosure into a body compartment and an air circulating passageway, a unitary air treating and circulating unit located in said passageway, said unit being provided with a dividing member having an opening therein for the circulating air, said dividing member extending into sealing engagement with the walls of the passageway,v said unit having an air' circulating means in series with said opening for circulating air from the body compartment through said passageway, said unit having anl air treating means in said passageway, said dividing member, said air circulating means and said air treating means being structurally connected together to form-a unit.

'7. A body treating cabinet including walls forming an enclosure for enclosing and supporting the body, a baille in the enclosure for dividing the interior of the enclosure into a body compartment and an air circulating passageway. a

unitary air treating and circulating unit located in said passageway, said unit being provided with a dividing member having an opening therein for the circulting air, said dividing member extending into sealing, engagement with the walls of the passageway, said unit having an air circulating means in series with said opening for circulating air from the body compartment through said passageway, said unit having an air treating means in said passageway, said air treating means including a receptacle adapted to contain a liquid, and a means for directing radiant energy upon the surface of the liquid.

8. A body treating means including walls forming an enclosure for enclosing and supporting a body, means for heating vthe body within the enclosure, a support outside the enclosure for supporting the head of the body. said support being provided withvmeans for collecting perspiration from the head.

l EDWIN C. SITTLER. 

